Gadge Galore
by Lluniwr Geiriau
Summary: Gadge one shots, two shots, short stories and whatever else. Added to as and when. Notice: a follow up chapter may not necessarily be posted right after.
1. Chapter 1

Prom: Part 1

Gale Hawthorne wasn't sure how he came to be sat in his beat up truck, at the end of the Mayor's drive.

That was a lie, he knew exactly what and who was to blame. Sometimes he wasn't even sure why he and Katniss were friends.

Once upon a time it had been a great friendship but since she'd been dating bloody Mellark everything had gone to pieces. She'd swapped out hunting for movie nights and ratty jeans for short shorts and even the occasional dress. She didn't have much time for hunting anymore and on the odd occasion she did, he had to put up with her giggling at Mellark's corny texts or blushing at his dirty ones. She didn't repay favours anymore and Mellark's pain in the ass brother was around a lot. And now, he was taking the mayors brat kid to prom.

Okay so she wasn't a kid but she was a brat and Gale Hawthorne did not do high maintenance. Gale Hawthorne didn't do dates and he most certainly did not do prom. Yet here he was.

Katniss had asked him first, tried to drop it in to casual conversation as if that would make it any less weird. He hadn't even felt the need to reply until she brought it up again later when he dropped her off at the bakery.

" _So about prom, you didn't go to yours so this is basically a second chance. You don't have to do anything, just pick her up, stay and eat free food and drop her off"_

" _Catnip, I'm not going to prom, two years late, with Princess Undersee"_

" _Fine be a jerk but could you just think about it please?"_

" _Whatever"._

He didn't think about it, at all, didn't give it a second thought even. Until Undersee herself accosted him in the hall and offered to pay him. He needed the money, that much was obvious but he agreed because he felt bad she actually had to pay someone. That, and he was in shock from being slammed into a locker by a girl who probably weighed less than his gym bag.

The Mayor's drive was long but it was artfully lined by overgrown trees and fancy plants, so he didn't see the girl making her way down to his truck until she was at his window.

"Christ Undersee you scared the shit out of me! Why are you in a robe, have you changed your mind? Are those curlers? I thought people stopped using those in the fifties"

"Hawthorne, shut up. I need you to come inside"

"What? Why? No way!"

"I'll pay you double alright, my dad is insisting"

"You've got to be kidding me"

"Please, I'll make it worth your while"

"I didn't sign up for this"

"$200" he snorts, the silk robe she's wearing probably wasn't much less

"There isn't any amount of money that could get me in there"

"Do it out of the kindness of your heart then" he snorts again "Hawthorne … please" he growls, throwing his head back

"Five minutes and I want my $200"

"Of course, did you want to drive up?" she asks carefully

"Don't want this old rust bucket on your property huh?" she rolls her eyes as she climbs in through the passenger side, ignoring his murmuring to himself. She's fidgeting and nosing around the second she gets in and he glares at her

"Did you clean it?" she asks

"My truck is always clean"

"Hmm" she frowns as if that's a bad thing.

The drive is even longer than he first thought and opens out unexpectedly to reveal the grandness that is the Undersee mansion. $200 bundles were probably just laying around. The front door opens before they're even out of the truck and Gale hates to admit he's intimidated. The Mayor is a big man, tall, muscular, fitter than most and he has this air about him.

"I'm not exactly the type you introduce to the folks Undersee"

"I know"

"I'm not going to suck up, I don't care who your father is"

"I know"

"He's going to hate me"

"Exactly" she smirks "Daddy this is Gale Hawthorne. Gale, Daddy"

"Mayor Undersee" Gale nods, getting a stern appraising look in response

"Hawthorne? Any relation to the politician?"

"Not that I know of"

"Hmm" he hums it the same way his daughter had, with obvious disappointment

"I should go and get ready. You two, be nice to each other won't you" Madge stalks off smirking, leaving Gale fuming and thinking $200 isn't nearly enough

"So you're in school with Madge?" the Mayor asks, still pinning him with that look rich people have

"Yep"

"We don't meet many of Madge's friends. She hasn't spoken about you either" he smiles at the Mayor. If he actually was interested in Madge that one would have stung and he knows that it was intentional. Lucky for him, he's just here for the money. Gale shrugs

"I can't imagine she would" Gale shrugs and picks up one of the few silver photo frames on a mahogany bureau. It's Madge on a horse, a giant 1st place ribbon on her chest and a trophy taller than her resting on her thigh. The other pictures, all of Madge, tell similar stories. Cheerleading uniform, big trophy. Piano, fancy crystal plate thing. Pool, gold medal. There's about five more.

"What makes you say that?"

"She doesn't know me that well" the mayor's eyes narrow

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm two years older than your daughter" the Mayor raises a groomed eyebrow "we're not friends, I'm just taking her to prom" Gale thinks winking as he said that might have been too much when the Mayor clicks his jaw and straightens his tie like they're in an old gangster film

"Listen here you little punk-"

"I'm ready!" Madge sings, as she canters up to them. She looks hot, there's no point in denying it. Her usual hot was subtle, tight jeans, the cheer uniform etc. This was another level entirely. She looked like a blonde Jessica Rabbit with her hair in smooth curls and her boobs pushed up to her chin. He couldn't remember her wearing much make up before but he never really paid that much attention. Beyond checking out her ass that is. Now though, she looked like a wet dream. She had nice skin and hadn't covered it up which was good, just brushed some bronze stuff on her cheeks. She had nice eyes too, big and sexy the way she'd done them up with charcoal and silver and long dark eyelashes. He'd always noticed her lips, a fact he was surprised to realise. It started as a game with his friends, Darius was just joking around when he started talking about BJ lips, it's not like it actually made a difference. But then Thom and Bristel had jumped on the bandwagon and they were all naming people. Undersee had happened to walk by and he'd automatically looked, they'd been her identifier with him ever since. Yeah, Princess had nice pouty lips and they only looked even better in ruby red. Maybe he paid more attention than he'd like to admit.

"What … is that?" the Mayor says, looking mortified

"My corsage?" Madge answers innocently, adjusting the lily on her wrist

"Madeline Undersee you are not leaving this house wearing that. Take it off right now" Gale could see where the Mayor was coming from. The dress was jet black, skin tight, backless, strapless and split up to her thigh on one side. As a hot blooded male, Gale approved, but he wasn't her father.

"Pretty dress" he smirked

"Thanks, shall we" Madge offered her hand to him and he tucked it into the crook of his arm, grinning like the Cheshire cat

"Madeline-"

"Don't wait up Daddy"

"Laters Mr Mayor" Gale tagged on. The Mayor glared at him as he pulled off in the truck but Gale couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

"Thanks for that. Was he really awful?" Madge asks, pulling her dress up at the bust

"I think I held my own"

"God this thing is uncomfortable" she says twisting and fussing with the top of her dress "turn around"

"Kinda hard when you're driving" Gale bites back sarcastically

"Fair point, just keep your eyes on the road then" he throws her a salute and watches her struggle from the corner of his eye. He smiles to himself when she starts muttering curses under her breath "much better" she proclaims, holding a black strapless bra and rolling her shoulders "does it look alright without this?"

"Did you just ask me if your tits look alright Undersee?"

"Well do they?" he takes a long look, best to make the most of it if he's got permission, before turning back to the road "they'll do"

" _They'll do?!_ " she exclaims "what's wrong with them" nothing

"They're a little lopsided" Gale has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing at her grief-stricken expression

"The one sexy thing about me and they turn out to be lopsided" she huffs, looking down at her chest like it's betrayed her

"At least they don't jiggle like your ass does" he adds and she looks up horrified. She starts smiling as soon as he does

"You asshole" she laughs

"Serves you right for being so vain"

"Hey! I'm not vain, tonight is just a little different" Gale rolls his eyes

"It's _Prom_ "

"I don't mean that, I don't care about prom"

"Then why all this?"

"All what?" he rolls his eyes again

" _This_. The dress, the make-up, caring whether or not your ass jiggles – it doesn't by the way"

"All I learnt from that is that you stare at my ass"

"I'm Gale Hawthorne, I stare at everyone's ass" he jokes

"No you don't, I doubt you even check out the girls you date all that much"

"What d'you mean?"

"You know, just because everyone labels you something, doesn't mean that's all you are"

"Well that was deep for a spoiled Daddy's girl" he doesn't get the retort he's expecting and when he looks over at her in the passenger seat, she's picking at her perfect nails in her lap "Undersee? Princess you alright?"

"Pull over"

"What?"

"Now, pull over right now" he does as she says and even runs around the truck to open her door, perhaps she's going to puke "you don't have to be a jerk all the time you know"

"What?"

"I've never done anything to you, is it so hard to just be nice?"

"I was- I didn't- I thought we were flirting" oh god he'd been flirting with Undersee

"You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"I get that a lot" he says, a satisfied smirk on his face "okay you're still pissed" he notices, the smirk slipping away

"I have no idea how you got all those girls to go out with you"

"Well you wanted to go out with me so drop the BS"

"Believe me it was not because I think you're irresistible _Romeo_ "

"C'mon Undersee, you just wanted to be the girl who went to prom with a senior and wore a dress that made all the guys hard and all the girls want to stab her. This is about being prom queen and it's totally pathetic"

"Hawthorne" she sighs "you really need to learn when to shut the fuck up" Gale bites his lip trying desperately not to smile

"You have quite the potty mouth on you don't you princess"

"You're quite the shithead aren't you Hawthorne"

"Can we just get in the truck please, you wouldn't want to be late to pick up your crown"

"I don't give a damn about a crown! God it's so annoying, you don't even know me and you're giving me shit for something that isn't even remotely true"

"Everyone knows you Undersee. You're the perfect mayor's daughter, golden girl, wonder child"

"Like you're the douchebag, jock, manslag? How many classes are you flunking? None right? Contrary to popular belief. How many times have you been in trouble with the cops? None again. Despite what everyone thinks"

"What's your point?"

"Exactly what I told you earlier. You don't have to be what you're labelled, I like to think I'm more than my father's daughter and you deserve to be more than a high school jock with no future"

"This conversation is way too deep to have on the side of the road"

"This conversation is way too deep to be having with you"

"Hey, I'm more than the futureless jock remember?"

"But you'll never see me as more than the mayors daughter right?" she laughs airily

"You're making out you've got it hard, your stereotype will take you places. You could do or be anything you wanted being the mayors perfect daughter"

"Except myself. No one is interested in Madge the chick who dances around to rock music in her underwear or Madge who's deathly afraid of spiders. Everyone just wants Madge the pianist, the intellect, the goddamn good girl panty award"

"The what?"

"Never mind"

"What the hell is the good girl panty award?"

"You should know, you probably invented it" she mutters back

"Okay since you clearly think _soooo_ much of me, why were you so insistent I be your date for prom?"

"I just wanted to be normal, for one night. I just wanted to do what everyone else was doing and I figured you wouldn't expect anything of me"

"Except your money"

"I meant, you wouldn't want to dance or flirt or … hook up. I thought you'd be less complicated" Gale sighs deeply, shaking his head then walks around to the passenger side of the truck

"Alright Princess, your chariot awaits. Or would you rather stand out here all night?" sighing in much the same way he had, Madge gets into the truck

"I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from"

"Nah, it's good to know you don't have it together one hundred percent of the time"

"I guess".

After starting up the engine he sits there for a minute in silence

"Hey Undersee, can I ask one thing?"

"What?"

"What's the goddamn good girl panty award?" she laughs and sighs, it's an odd mixture of the two

"A bunch of seniors have got a pool going, whoever gets into my good girl virgin panties takes the lot" that's a little twisted, but nothing his generation does surprises him anymore "other schools are getting involved, last I heard the jackpot is around $500"

"$500 and getting laid, might join myself"

"Nice Hawthorne"

"Honestly Undersee, it's creepy and weird but it's not like anyone's won. You haven't been dooped"

"You know, you're right, at first it was strangely flattering. Seniors were asking _me_ out. Guys I didn't even know were making a real effort with me … And then I agreed to go out with one of them"

"You didn't-?"

"No I didn't let him into my panties" she rolls her eyes "but he tried. When I told him to back off, he kicked me out of the car and left me at the side of the road. Called me a cock teasing whore which I found quite ironic"

"Shit Undersee, are you serious? Who was this guy?"

"Just some guy from Harland Prep"

"The boys boarding school?" he can't help the way he makes it sound, every guy in that place is a jackoff

"I thought my dad would like him"

"So that's what all that was about, back at the house, trying to piss your dad off"

"A little. He's made all my decisions for me, my entire life. The walk home after I got ditched kind of decided enough was enough"

"Well power to you Undersee. I'm pretty sure you made your point"

As he pulls the truck into the main car park behind their school, Gale can't help feeling sick. He really didn't want to spend an evening with the type of inebriated assholes who were betting on a girl's virginity and left helpless teenagers in the middle of nowhere.

He's walking around the truck to open her door when she gets out herself and gives him a look he hasn't seen before

"You wanna get out of here?"

"You're joking"

"I don't want to go in there, and I know you don't. You wanna go someplace else?"

"But you're all dressed up?"

"So what! Come on, you'll still get your money"

"Women" he sighs heading back to his side of the cab

"Where are we going?" she asks, bouncing in her seat a bit. Great she doesn't even have anywhere in mind. He thinks about it, about where he really wants to go right now, about where he thinks she'd like to go and starts the engine

"I have an idea".


	2. Chapter 2

Baby: Part 1

Gale sat across from Madge in a booth at some little diner on the outskirts of the city. It was weird. They'd hung out thousands of times but never like this, never just the two of them. Katniss was the reason they were around each other so much, she was a mutual best friend so they were always invited to the same gatherings and social events.

Gale had no idea why she'd asked him out for coffee, only that it had taken him a minute to get over the immediate shock before saying yes. They weren't friends per se, more very well acquainted acquaintances. They didn't talk much more than a passing greeting or niceties but Gale thought that best. Madge was attractive, like really attractive. He thought it best he and Madge didn't talk too much because it would just be too easy to sleep with her and that would make things weird and piss Katniss off ... a lot.

Of course the fact that Madge was essentially off limits made him want her so much more but he prided himself on his ability to 'go without' so to speak, he'd done it his whole life, especially with her. She'd been the mayor's daughter in their hometown, rich and privileged and never hungry. He couldn't ever understand how Katniss stood to be around it until he was forced to be around her himself.

So Gale sat in the sticky leather booth, stirring sugar in to his coffee and staring at Madge's boobs while she shrugged off her jacket. She turned to him and placed her hands around her glass of orange juice. She looked determined, like this might be important. Katniss' birthday wasn't for months yet and there wasn't anything else he could think of that she'd want to talk about

"I'll get right to the point" she begins bluntly, he nodded, she didn't say anything until he'd swallowed his sip if coffee and placed the mug back on the table "I want to have your baby" his eyes darted up to meet hers and when he saw her expression was stone cold serious he took a very long drag of coffee. It burnt as it went down but he continued to chug it like it was something alcoholic he so wished it was at this moment "I thought a lot about who I'd like it to be and really I was always going to pick you" he blurted the first thing that come to his mind and almost dribbled coffee

"Did I forget sleeping with you?" to this she rolls her eyes

"Believe me we have not slept together" her tone made it an insult "and if we had, you certainly wouldn't have forgotten it" to this he quirks an eyebrow and smirks, then remembers how that comment come around and sits up straighter in his seat

"What are you talking about?"

"I want to have a baby, your baby"

"Why?"

"Why ... do I want to have your baby?" she clarifies, he swallows and nods "Well I've known you for years so I know you're responsible and trustworthy, there's also the fact that you carry very good genes" Gale stares at her speechless "but we're not particularly close so there's no risk of a friendship being put under pressure" he couldn't believe she was talking about this so calmly, if it was anyone else he'd think it was a joke but it wasn't. It was Madge freaking Undersee and she was completely fucking serious

"You are aware of how random this is right?"

"Yes, I know this must be strange for you but I've been thinking about it for a long time. I want a family and I thought that's the way Trent and I were heading but obviously not" ah Trent. He'd met the guy a few times while Madge was dating him and every single time he'd managed to piss Gale off. They'd actually ended because the guy couldn't handle a drink and got fist happy at a party. Gale and Darius had had to pull the creep off Madge and escort him out

"You're kinda young to want kids though aren't you? You'll probably meet someone else soon"

"Oh no" Madge says quickly "I don't want anyone else. I'm not under the illusion it won't be hard but I'm confident I could raise a baby on my own and that's the way I want it"

"Don't you think you're still a little young, you're not even 22 yet right?"

"I would be by the time I had the baby"

"That's crazy young to be raising a baby by yourself Undersee" Madge narrows her eyes when he calls her that and her tone is clipped

"I don't need a lecture, I just need your sperm" Gale's eyes bug out of his skull as everyone else in the diner turns to look at them. Gale leans closer and lowers his voice

"The thing is, if I had a child and I knew it was my child I'd want to be a part of its life. I couldn't just walk away you know"

"Wait, are you actually considering this?" Madge asks her eyebrows creeping towards her hairline

"Why would you ask if you thought I'd say no?" she shrugs

"Worth a shot. I don't like the anonymity of a donor, it's so impersonal"

"Wouldn't it be easier?"

"Easy isn't what's right for me"

"I think you're crazy for doing this so young but if you've made up your mind you've made up your mind and I'm sorry but I'm not your guy" she sighs, nods as if she was expecting it - which she was - and stands

"Thanks for meeting me anyway" she smiles tightly, gathering up her purse and jacket, then drops a few bills on the table. Enough for both her orange juice and his coffee twice over. She's going to have to stop doing that if she wants a kid. She may deny handouts from mommy and daddy now but even with her steady income she's going to struggle "I'll see you around"

"Sure" there's a sinking feeling in his stomach as he stands, she looks so downtrodden "hey Madge, for what it's worth, I think you'd be a great mom" the corners of her lips turn up a fraction

"Thanks Gale".


	3. Chapter 3

High School Reunion: Part 1

Thom had gotten him here under the illusion they could get drunk on free booze then bail. Following it up with 'come on Gale, it'll be fun! 5 years, don't you want to know who got fat, who got rich and who got hot?' Honestly he didn't really care, anyone from high school who needed to be in his life, still was.

He and Thom had started a partnership and taken over Abbernathy's Mechanics. Bristel did their accounting and once a week the three of them would meet Katniss, the Mellark's and their respective partners for drinks at Mason's where Darius and Johanna would serve until joining them on their breaks. Anyone who needed to be there was, there wasn't a single other person in high school he could imagine wanting to be around. For a while he wasn't even sure about the Mellark's as a whole but they were great drinking and fishing companions now.

He sat at an empty table near the middle of the room, his friends had all left their seats. Bannock, Peeta's oldest brother pulling his pretty wife Lavinia to the dance floor where they swayed awkwardly around her giant belly. Thom and Bristel had gone off to suck up to some of their classmates who either, had wealthy parents or had become well off themselves. Peeta and Katniss mingled, everyone gushing about how they'd stayed together. Rye was yet to leave the buffet table but made his way over to Gale eventually with a towering plate of food.

"I don't know how you're not obese" Gale said, noting that majority of the food Rye had collected were deserts

"Lots of vigorous sex" Rye replies easily, popping a miniature muffin in to his mouth

"It's going to catch up with you"

"Shut up dad, I've got a sweet tooth alright. Any talent?" Rye asks scoping the place

"Haven't noticed"

"Then why are you sitting here looking dumb? What's the point in people watching if you're not actually going to do it?"

"Fine, that weird emo kid that scared the shit out of everyone-"

"Flavius" Rye supplies

"Yeah, he got fat and ditched the black for pink by the looks of it" Gale says, nodding towards an extravagantly dressed man slow dancing with a bald bodybuilder type "and Finnick O'dair got rich"

"Yeah no shit, the guys an underwear model. Have you seen his wife? Hands down, hottest chick here" Gale spared a look towards the bronzed man grinning at everyone and nodded appreciatively at the small brunette on his arm. He'd seen her on TV with Finnick a few times and she was beautiful but not the hottest woman here.

That title went to the little blonde that he'd noticed talking to them earlier. She was that rare type, beautiful with a smile you fell in love with but also sexy in the tiniest things she did. It was usually women had one or the other and too much of it. Meaning you either come to see her as the friend you'd laugh with and ask to wing woman you or the one night stand you regretted immensely when she left dirty messages on your machine for days after.

It was exceedingly rare to find a woman who had the perfect balance of both and he could tell just by looking at this woman, that she did. She wore a royal blue cocktail dress, it was long sleeved but fell off the shoulder, which for some reason he found a huge turn on. It wasn't short, landing just below her knee but it was skin tight, hugging her curves. Gale's favourite part though, was that it was absolutely, completely and wonderfully backless. Showing an expanse of lightly tanned, flawless skin. Toned and sculpted in perfect curves.

He liked how she stood too. Her posture was impeccable, each step graceful, even in her frightening heels. She laughed and smiled genuinely, her eyes shining beneath lovely thick lashes. Gale didn't care for lipstick much but he found himself appreciating the way the pale plum accentuated her pouty lips. No Gale didn't care for lipstick but he'd make an exception.

Even from this distance he knew her eyes couldn't be anything but blue. They were big, the type you lost yourself in, that didn't need to be brought out by make-up. The dark lines on her top eyelids made them even more enticing though. He could imagine them peeking up at him from under those thick lashes as he spilled into her mouth.

And that's where he stopped, looking away from the blonde and back at Rye, who looked just a little bit worried

"You alright man? You zoned out a little there"

"Yeah fine, sorry. You want a drink?" Gale asked, stifling after his little daydream

"Nah, I'm good" Rye shook his head, holding up a cup of punch from beside his plate.

He couldn't help glancing around in search of the blonde hair he'd been watching for the best part of an hour. It was glossy and thick by the looks of it but had been styled to look un-styled, with strands falling from the intricate bun and around her face, her bangs coiffed but ruffled in to waves, then woven in to the bun. Her neck was elegant, her jaw and cheekbones refined and just so damn alluring. She was classy, not Gale's type specifically but somehow every man's type. She was just the type of girl you want, that you're proud to have on your arm. Honestly, the kind you show off but at the same time can't believe you landed. The type you introduce to your family and propose to because there's just no other viable option.

He didn't know her, she was obviously someone's wife or partner, date, whatever. Gale couldn't help but feel whichever of his classmate's was able to land a girl like that deserved a good slap on the back.

When he finally spotted who that lucky so and so was, he rolled his eyes. As if it was going to be anyone else. Cato Baxter had been the golden boy in school, just as friendly as Peeta, charming as Finnick and smart as Gale. He was everybody's favourite. Quarterback, student president, prom king. The most annoying part was Gale couldn't even be mad at him. He deserved all of it, the kid volunteered in his free time for Christ sake _and_ coached little league!

Gale had always had beef with him. No one was that perfect and when he got Gale busted for bullying, that proved it. Gale wasn't a bully, he joked around with his friends, sometimes it involved other students but he was no bully. He hated that he'd been branded that by anyone.

It was all a misunderstanding anyway, they'd been tossing a basketball around when some girl with her head in her book had walked right in to the middle of them. They'd all called out a warning but it was too late, it hit her right in the face, or right in the book and her glasses had snapped and split her eyebrow open.

Cato had appeared and gotten the wrong end of the stick. You could swear he'd meant to lob a ball at the mayor's daughter the way they went on at him. She wasn't hurt, she said so herself but that didn't seem to matter. Gale supposed it didn't help they'd had trouble before. The girl always seemed to crop up at the worst times and got people in trouble. It was because she never watched where she was going, her nose always buried in a textbook or a novel so thick it could be used as a doorstop. He'd made a comment about her buying a pair of glasses that actually worked once and that seemed to make her angry enough to get Cato's attention. He'd become some overprotective big brother type after the basketball incident and nagged Gale every chance he got.

He was broken from his reverie by someone clearing their throat and Gale startled to find the gorgeous blonde next to him

"Sorry, could I just get some punch?" she smiled, indicating to the bowl he was blocking

"Yeah sure" he jumped away from the table, trying not to stare at her bare back as she used the ladle to fill her cup

"It's odd isn't it, seeing how everyone turned out?" Gale nods. She was probably just like Cato in school, wherever that was. Probably some private school, would explain her posture and manners

"Some more surprising than others" he agreed "I could've guessed Finnick's future easy enough" Gale jokes lightly. She laughs, it's almost a giggle and a wonderful sound at that "so you're Cato's wife?"

"Oh no, we're not married" probably wouldn't be long, if Cato was smart he'd have done it already "did you know some of the old faculty are here?" she asks, earning a slight frown. He didn't know that but none of the teachers liked him very much anyway

"I can't imagine they'd want to talk to me" he smiles

"You're not missing much. Mrs. Coin is still mind-numbingly boring" Gale does a double take "I used to hate her math lessons more than anything"

"Wait, what?!"

"Excuse me that was rude" the blonde covers her mouth, looking remorseful

"No, you- you went to school here?" the blonde frowns at him and her brow wrinkles adorably

"Gale" she knows his name! And she says it so nicely "we've been in the same schools since the first grade" there's no way …

"Who are you?" Gale backtracks "sorry, I mean uh- who are you?"

"God this is embarrassing" she laughs awkwardly and tucks a loose curl behind her ear "it's Madge, Madge Undersee" Gale took a step back in astonishment

"Hold up. Undersee, the mayor's daughter?" something flashes in her eyes and he finds himself worried for his genitals yet excited for them at the same time

"Yes" she grits " _the mayor's daughter_ "

"Everything alright over here?" Cato walks up behind Madge and drops his palm flat on her lower back. Gale can't work out whether it's protective or possessive but he's jealous Cato's getting to touch the bare skin he had been so enraptured with all night

"Cato, I was just talking to Gale here. You remember Gale Hawthorne don't you?"

"Yeah, I remember" Cato says, reaching out his free hand to shake Gale's "good to see you" he adds carefully

"You too. Uh, how've you been?"

"I can't complain. Yourself? You own the garage in town now don't you?"

"Yeah, with Thom. Thom Meadows, he was in our year"

"Of course, you were good friends in school?"

"Still" Gale nods

"Listen Madge, I'm going to make a call. Will you be alright here?"

"I'll be fine" she smiles

"Good to see you again Gale"

"Yeah" Gale calls to his back before turning to Madge "listen I'm sorry I didn't recognise you. You're just so different, no one else has changed that much but you-"

"But I did, I know"

"Can we start over? Please? Pretty please?"

"Alright. Madge Undersee" she says holding out her hand

"Gale Hawthorne" he replies "it's great to see you again"

"Likewise" she grins "so you're a mechanic?"

"Yes, it's not much but I enjoy it. What do you do? Something impressive I bet" Madge cringes

"I'm a manager" she tells him cryrtically

"What do you manage?" she winces

"Hotels"

"Plural?"

"Yes" she says quietly "but I've worked at the Hetherton since I was in school and I worked my way up"

"So you're telling me you manage a chain of one of the most successful hotels in the country?" Gale asks disbelievingly, or maybe it's not so hard to believe. She was always smart, straight A's all through school, turned down a number of ivy league colleges and she did say she'd been there years "wow that is impressive"

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"No, why would you think that?"

"Sorry" she frowns a little "sore subject" Gale doesn't say anything, hoping she'll continue. She sighs "everyone always assumes everything is down to who my father is, that's all. No acheivment is ever my own"

If he was totally honest with himself he'd always had that sort of perception, attributed her high grades and acheivements to her father. When he thought about it he wanted to smack himself, he had known she was smart. He remembered overhearing her debating about some historical political event once, she'd well and truly torn to shreds with her arguments and Gale hadn't been able to get the sight out of his head for weeks. It was like one of those scenes in a movie that the director just nailed. It stuck with him.

"That must be immensly frustrating" he feels like a hypocrite

"Patronising old men are the usual culprits"

"You don't seem like the type of woman to be knocked by any man"

"Some things change Hawthorne, some things don't"

"So what else has changed?" he asks, he's trying not to flirt but he doesn't want to stop talking to her either

"Well you certainly haven't, that's for sure"

"No? You wouldn't say I look more mature? I have a beard now" he grins, tilting his jaw to show the dark stubble he trims but doesn't shave

"Please, the beard only makes your jaw sharper" she rolls her eyes and swallows like she can't believe she just said that outloud "it's hardly fair"

"You like it then?"

"Even more than I did in high school" she smiles, it's shy at first but grows in size and confidence when she sees his answering grin and the red of his cheeks

"You saying you had a crush on me?" Gale smirks

"Maybe" Madge smirks back "then you chucked a basketball at my head and scarred me for life. I've hated you ever since" she teases

"Christ, I can't tell you how sorry I am about that. It was an accident you know, I'd never intentionally do that to anyone"

"Oh I know" she laughs "besides I quite like the scar, the story always earns me a few laughs" Gale finds the slightly raised, pale line under her eyebrow. It's barely noticeable if you don't know it's there. You'd probably have to get pretty close to see it without it being pointed out. Which is how Gale realises he's leaned in close enough to smell her, she can probably feel him breathing on her

"Sorry" he mumbles, taking an exaggerated step back

"Gale Hawthorne, do I make you nervous?" she teases, her lips quirked up in a smug smile

"Among other things" he retorts, his voice lowering an octave. As he watches her swallow he can't help but feel triumphant

"What sort of things?" she asks, taking a sip of her punch

"That's not topic for polite conversation" he answers, his voice like gravel as she moves closer to him

"Good. Polite conversation gets boring" she whispers, their hip bones pressing together in a way that should be uncomfortable but couldn't feel further from it. Encouraged, Gale's hands skate up her sides and to the edges of her dress where his fingertips graze her bare back. From the waist down their bodies are touching and Gale has never been so turned on in his life. He knows she can feel it, there's no way she couldn't with them stood like this "you want to walk around? Maybe see if Mrs Coin's classroom is the way we remember it?"

"Wait" Gale hesitates sightly, damn his morals "you're with Cato, I'm not the type of guy- I mean I don't want to ... _step on anyone's toes_ " he finishes awkwardly

"Are you finished?" she giggles "Cato is about to marry my college roommate Levy. They're my best friends. Now, did you want to take that walk?"

"Y-yeah" he stammers "sounds good" he's never wanted to see a classroom so much in his life.


	4. Chapter 4

The Plumber: Part 1

Madge gave up on trying to keep dry about an hour ago. The burst pipe in her bathroom had been spewing water for just as long and she'd lost twelve good towels and a bed sheet to the catastrophe. She'd tried turning the water off, somehow making the flow of water heavier and then she'd tried blocking the leak, that's when she'd given up on staying dry. She couldn't afford an emergency plumber. Prices would be sky high today of all days but she definitely couldn't afford any more damage to be done to her newly purchased home.

She tried every number for a local plumber she could find, after the ninth hung up on her she was all but in tears.

"Gale Hawthorne" the voice on the other end of the phone sounded as exhausted as her

"Hi I need help" she squeaked her voice trembling from crying "my bathroom is flooding and I know it's Christmas Day but my bathroom is flooding"

"Look miss it sounds like you've got a big problem and like you said it's Christmas Day"

"Please" she begged "I'll pay whatever you want" she caved, she'd crawl back to her father and his money on her hands and knees if it meant this night would be over

"Where are you?" He sighed and she collapsed onto the toilet from relief

"Town Street in Panem. Number 12"

"I know the place, I'm close. I can be there in 10 minutes" Madge could hear children in the background and felt awful but she couldn't feel her feet anymore

"Thank you, thank you so much. Thank you".

She barely had time to find her wellies in one of the moving boxes and pull them on before her door bell rang. The pipe was still dribbling a steady flow of water onto her bathroom floor when she passed by to open the door and she desperately needed a cup of coffee. She didn't even drink coffee.

"Thank you so much" she stressed, opening the door, momentarily blitzed by the man there. For a minute she felt like she was in a porno and the drop dead gorgeous plumber had come to ravish her whilst the blocked sink overflowed

"You must be Gale, come in" she stepped back granting him entrance

"Yeaaaah" he told her awkwardly before looking her up and down and averting his gaze. In all the chaos Madge hadn't noticed or cared that her camisole and shorts were soaked through and not only transparent but plastered to her body

"Oh God I'm sorry, I should get a towel. Come in though please, the bathrooms through there" she pointed to the end of the hall past the staircase and cringed at herself as he passed her. She hadn't worked out in weeks and she was sure sopping wet and distressed wasn't sexy

"Woah" he exclaims "you weren't joking. What took you so long to call?"

"I've been calling for over half an hour, you're the only person who didn't hang up on me. That and I tried to fix it myself because I can't actually afford a plumber" Madge admits, wringing out her hair "don't worry I'll get your money" she adds hastily, her boots squelching on the hall carpet

"Rookie mistake" he shakes his head and gives her a smug smile. Woah indeed

"I'm sorry to be taking you away from your family today" she tells him genuinely, half hoping to find out if she can flirt or if he's spoken for

"You'll pay well right?" He jokes

"Whatever you see fit" she promises "hopefully you can be back with your kids in time for Christmas dinner" she tries again

"Oh I don't have kids" he replies nonchalantly

"Oh, I thought I heard kids when we spoke on the phone"

"My brothers and sister" he nods, squatting down to see the problem from a different angle. Madge likes this angle just fine but scolds herself because if the plumber wasn't gorgeous and the situation had been in reverse she wouldn't have been happy. In fact she had only recently torn a mover a new one because she'd caught him watching her change

"Oh I see, still, don't want you missing Christmas dinner"

"What about you? Why are you alone today dealing with this mess?"

"Long story" she sighs "I've only just moved in, this really couldn't have come at a worse time" she deflates, totally dejected even if she had scraped together enough money to get a mortgage on her dream house

"I uh- I actually viewed this place myself you know" Gale tells her and she takes a seat on the edge of the bathtub, curious.

"Was it the bad plumbing that put you off?" She laughs and he chuckles in response

"Nope. Got outbid at the last minute" he deadpans and Madge feels her skin prickle as her blood runs cold

"Are you joking? Please tell me you're joking"

"Nope"

"Oh God I'm your nemesis and you don't even know me" she frets wondering if he might charge her more out of spite as well as inconvenience "you're not going to do a bad job to get back at me are you?"

"I resent that" he half laughs digging through a duffel bag of tools "I couldn't bring myself to ruin this place anyway"

"Your dream house too huh?" she murmurs guiltily

"Something like that"

"Maybe you'll find something better, with decent plumbing and a porch swing" she offers hopefully

"Not likely around here, I'll just let you keep beating yourself up about it" he grins

"Can I get you something? Coffee, tea or a can of something?"

"It's a little early to be drinking isn't it?"

"Oh no I - I meant a can of coke or something" Madge stammers to explain

"I know I was teasing, I'll take a strong coffee, lots of sugar"

"Coming right up".

Madge listens to the tinkering from the downstairs bathroom and puts the kettle to boil then goes upstairs to find something warmer to put on. She pulls out sweat pants and an oversized jumper but hesitates in dressing, deciding to forgo the pants and leave a length of leg on show. What the hell, where was the harm?

"One strong coffee, lots of sugar"

"Thanks" he smiles tightly, taking the offered mug "I got the leak under control but this is a pretty big problem, you're going to need new pipes at some point" he winces "expensive job"

"Great" she smiles falsely "how soon does it need to be done?"

"Honestly? Last year" at least he seems apologetic when he says it

"Can you suggest someone who won't totally rip me off?"

"Me, I have a partner and we're the best local service. I'm actually hurt I wasn't your first port of call"

"Just moved in, not up to speed with local rip off merchants yet"

"Tell you what, ring around and if you can find a better quote I'll match it. We can start next week"

"Really? That's good of you, I'll do that"

"No problem"

"Are you done? Can I use the water as usual or will I have to wait?"

"You're all set just be wary, that pipe has corroded pretty much to the point of falling apart"

"How much do I owe you?"

"I'll send an invoice in the morning. Besides I might be back here soon. You've got my number?"

"Yeah, I've got it, thanks"

"I'll be expecting your call" he's grinning again and even Madge can tell he's flirting

"Don't get too sure of yourself" she retorts, certain if money weren't an issue she'd hire him just because

"Have a nice Christmas" he gives her a tight smile

"Merry Christmas. Thank you so much for coming out"

"Bye" he's smiling in a way that makes Madge want to jump him now but he's half way out the door

"Bye, thanks again".

Before the door is even closed, Madge collapses on to the couch. How was she going to pay for this. Her moment of weakness was long over and there wasn't much she wouldn't do to avoid asking her father. She was on the brink of tears again when someone knocks at the door and she wipes her face before answering

"Oh Gale, did you forget something?" she asks, embarrassed at her obvious emotional state

"No actually I wanted to invite you to Christmas dinner at my house"

"You do?" Madge sniffles and wants to slap herself at how much she sounds like a six year old

"There's always heaps of food left over and no one should be on their own today"

"I couldn't impose, I've inconvenienced you enough-"

"I'm inviting you, please. If you don't come I'll just be miserable anyway worrying about you and your bathroom"

"You're sure?"

"Very sure" he nods "is that a yes?"

"You promise not to maim, torture or kill me?"

"What? Yes I promise" he chuckles

"Alright, just let me go grab some pants"

"Pants would be good".


End file.
